Page 78 of Creatures of Chaos

Becks nods and then says, “Here, eat,” and pushes his plate over to me. He’s already eaten a burger, but there’s an untouched chicken sandwich left.

I look down at the food, touched he thought to leave me something when I know for a fact that Becks can easily put away two sandwiches on his own.

“Eat up,” he encourages. “The bell’s going to ring any minute.”

I offer him a small smile of thanks and then dive in, sitting back to listen to the conversation bounce around the table for what’s left of the lunch period.

Twenty-Seven

Between stolen moments with Becks,anxiety over my deal with Talon, and anticipating the next Chaos trial, the next week passes quickly even though I’m only allowed to go to school and home again. The injured look on my mom’s face still hasn’t completely disappeared, but I think the fact that I haven’t bucked against their punishment has helped me gain some ground.

It still bothers me that Becks and I can’t hold hands in the hallways of Nightlark or cuddle by our lockers between classes. But Becks reaffirms his feelings for me time and time again in looks he sends my way when no one’s watching, and the kisses we share in stolen moments. It’s enough to hold me over, for now, but as the days tick by, I have to work harder and harder to bat away the negative voice that tells me this is all I’ll ever have of Becks. That he’ll never truly be mine. It certainly doesn’t help that the one time I managed to corner Talon for an update, he told me to chill because he was handling it but wouldn’t say more.

The Chaos tracker hasn’t gone off, but with every day that passes I’m acutely aware we’re getting closer to a new trial, andthat Talon is running out of time. If he doesn’t make good on our deal, I’m back to Shadow Striker being the only card in my deck.

I’m in the back corner of the store early Saturday morning, high on a ladder and dusting the top of an antique armoire. The person who sold it to my parents said it can transport you to another world, but really it’s just an oversized piece of furniture with a much less interesting backstory. The bell above the door jingles, announcing a customer, and I’m thrilled when I turn and realize it’s Becks. I scramble down the ladder to meet him, but the stormy look on his face as he walks toward me makes my smile melt into a frown.

“What’s wrong?” I ask when he reaches me.

He casts a quick look around the shop, but no one else is here.

“I had a council meeting last night,” he says, and a knot forms in my gut.What now?“They voted to abolish the rules on arranging a life-mate for the dragon heir.”

My eyes widen as my heart begins to soar. This is amazing news. Talon came through. But the gloomy look on Becks’ face doesn’t change, and I don’t understand.

“Becks, this is what we were hoping for.”

He shakes his head. “It’s not. They changed the law surroundingpickinga life-mate for me, but they didn’t change the timeline. I still only have until graduation to announce a betrothal, I just get to choose the person rather than them going out and finding someone for me.”

“Okay, that’s not exactly what we were hoping for, but it’s better than before. At least now you have a choice,” I say, trying to find a silver lining.

Becks’ laugh is full of bitterness. “But I don’t really. They still need to approve my choice.”

So we’re back to exactly where we started. With Becks needing to mate with a powerful female, and me not having any magic.

It hits me that I bartered away my only chance at getting that power, and I start to feel sick.

“Talon tricked you,” Becks says, and I find it hard to disagree with him. He might have technically fulfilled his end of the bargain by getting Becks out of an arranged life-mating, but the obstacles between us are still there.

“I haven’t pushed you on this, but will you tell me what you had to do to get this favor from him?” He’s tense as he waits for me to respond. I don’t see the point in not telling him anymore.

“I promised Talon that I’d fail out of the next Chaos trial,” I say, and Becks’ gaze instantly brightens.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it,” I confirm, and Becks lets out a sigh of relief, his muscles unclenching before my eyes.

“Thank the Creator,” he says, and pulls me into his arms, where I stand woodenly while the reality of what I’ve lost sets in. If the council has to approve his choice, I’ll never measure up.

Becks doesn’t realize what I’ve really given up, so it’s no wonder he’s not more upset. In his mind we didn’t lose anything to make this minor gain. In fact, this is what Becks has wanted all along, for me to not be competing in Chaos. It’s ironic that this is the thing he and Talon finally agree upon, the thing that might have given us a chance to be together.

“It’s hopeless,” I say into Becks’ chest, my eyes welling. After everything I’ve done and everything I’ve been through, it is over. This was my last play. I’m out of ideas, and I’m now also out of a backup plan.

Becks crushes me closer. “No, don’t say that. I’m not giving up. I’ve always seen the council as unmovable, but I don’tanymore. If it’s possible for Talon to get them to bend, then I can too.”

I hear the confidence in his voice, but it doesn’t do anything to lift my spirits.

“Hey,” Becks says, loosening his hold so that he can pull back and look into my eyes. A tear slips out and treks down my face; he wipes it away with his thumb. “Don’t cry, Lock. We’ll figure it out. It’s not over.”

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